The Rogue Shadow
by RandomMaster96
Summary: The story of a regular farm boy who becomes an assassin of legend after tracking down a clan of assassins who mistook him for someone else and tried to kill him. This story is set in a Skyrim based world, but I am making it my own. This is also my first story, so all reviews, good and bad, are welcome and appreciated. Rated T for blood and violence. Don't like, don't read.
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: **Hey readers, this is my first try at a story so any feedback, good or bad, you can give me would be awesome! Let me know what you think of the story!

**Prologue**

It was getting easier and easier for me. This time I did it in broad daylight, and he never saw me coming. I closed my eyes as the memory of it swept through me.

_The sun was beating down on my back as I tracked my target. I didn't know who he was, no one important, that's for sure. All I know is I was hired to take him out, and do it quietly._  
_ I was dressed in all black, and yet no one seemed to notice me, not even when I drew my dagger and pounced on the man, slipping the blade between his ribs and into his heart with practiced ease. Within seconds the man was face down on the ground, a pool of blood growing around him, and I was on the rooftops, headed away, a thin trail of blood streaming from my blade, and still no one noticed me..._

I used to be a nobody, a kid who wasn't content with what he was doing. Now I am a somebody, and yet nobody knows who I really am. I am known simply as 'The Rogue Shadow.' And this is my story.


	2. Chapter 1 - The Mistake

**Author's Note: **Here's the first chapter guys! Let me know what you think in the comments!

**Ch. 1 - The Mistake**

It was just another average boring day for me, until someone tried to kill me that is. I had just finished doing my usual end of season farming routine; harvesting the last of the crop, prepping our harvest to be either stored for winter or sold at the market, and was wondering around in the fading light of dusk as I usually did, when the assassin attacked.

I had seen him, but thought nothing of it until I saw his dagger flashing a blood red in the dying light of the sun. He swung it at me, aiming for a quick clean slash to the throat, a quick and effective killing blow. But he didn't realize his mistake until his blade was in my hands.

My reflexes are almost super human. And I have complete control of them. So his blade never reached its mark, instead I caught his wrist in one hand and pried the blade from his fingers and stabbed him in the gut with it, all in the blink of an eye. The assassin was too stunned to react at first, and my stab wasn't enough to do more than hinder him, so I started hacking and slashing at him. Soon enough, he was on the ground and both of us were covered in blood.

I staggered back, eyes wide at the fact I had just taken down an assassin, and without any real effort it seemed. I stood there for a minute, then I crouched down and started to search my would be killer to see if I could find out why he was after me. All I found on him was a folded sheet of paper with the name and a description of someone I felt like I should remember, and a necklace with a symbol on it.

I pocketed them and started on my way home, slipping the dagger up my sleeve as I went. I didn't want to stand around any longer and risk getting seen by a passer by. I would have to think more about what had happened later, but one thing I knew for sure, there was no way I was staying on my parents farm for another season after that.


	3. Chapter 2 - Searching for Answers

**Author's Note: **Here's the third chapter guys! This one is a good bit longer than the others, so let me know what you think. Do you like longer chapters? Or should I keep them shorter? And all reviews are appreciated, good and bad!

**Ch. 2 – Searching for Answers**

I got home after everyone was in bed and asleep that night. My parents wouldn't be waiting up for me since I'm out late more often than not, so I slipped quietly upstairs to my bedroom.

Once in my room, I closed and locked the door and looked around my room, lit by the dim wavering light of the lone candle on my dresser. My room isn't big, and it doesn't have much in it. Just a bed, a dresser with a couple extra sets of clothes at the foot of my bed, and a shelf with a few books on it. I didn't need things to make me happy, I needed a purpose for my life, and being a simple farmer wasn't it.

After a quick glance around, I sat on my bed and pulled out the two things I had found on my would-be killer. I read the piece of paper again, but couldn't get anything else from it, and still felt like I should know the name of the person that was described.

_Target: Peter the Dark, of the Noble House of Ravenwind_

_Description: Tall. Slender. Black hair and brown eyes. Doesn't talk much and often takes long walks alone at dusk._

At the bottom of the page was the same symbol that was on the necklace, a pure black dagger. I slid the dagger I took from the assassin from my sleeve and held it close to the candle to examine it. It seemed to be made of ordinary steel, but was pure black from pommel to blade and seemed to have shadows moving across the blade in the shifting light. The simple blade mesmerized me for several minutes before I was finally able to tear my gaze from it and look back at the name.

The Noble House of Ravenwind, I knew that name. It was the name of the only noble family in all of Lieradel to have their manor outside the protection of any city in the kingdom. But their manor was still leagues away, so why would the assassin think I was Peter? And if the light had been better, he would have realized that my eyes aren't brown, but a deep sapphire.

I had so many questions, and I wasn't going to find the answers by sitting around at the farm for the rest of my life.

"Tomorrow," I vowed to myself as I lay down and closed my eyes, "I will set off to find this 'Peter the Dark' and I will make him tell me what he knows."

~The Next Day~

I looked up from under my hood as I approached Ravenwind Manor. I had gotten up early that morning and put on my normal attire, a dark gray robe over my light gray shirt and black pants. It took me most of the day to cover the distance to the manor, and it was getting close to the time when most would be getting ready for dinner. I knew from the description of him that Peter favored walking alone at dusk, but I was getting too impatient to wait, and the only thing that stood between me and the answers I wanted was a seven-foot stone wall that I could easily climb over.

After checking to make sure no one was around and that my new dagger was secure up my sleeve, I ran to the wall in a crouch and, in one flowing move, jumped up, grabbed the edge, and pulled myself over it, landing silently on the other side. A quick look around showed the only place I could hide was behind what looked like a storage shed off to the side of the main building. I quickly ran over to it and crouched down, ready to wait until someone who matched Peter's description came along. But, as soon as I was settled behind the building, I heard someone talking.

The unexpected sound made me jump and I whirled around, drawing my dagger at the same time, ready to defend myself from another attack, but no one was there. Keeping my dagger at the ready, I slowly crept around the building and found a window on the side furthest from where I had climbed over the wall. I glanced around again to make sure no one had spotted me, and then looked in the window.

What I saw made me smile, a quick smile that only showed impending trouble. Inside was the man I had come to question, Peter the Dark. But just as I was about to slip inside through the widow, someone pressed a cloth over my nose and I blacked out.


	4. Chapter 3 - The Captured Shadow

**Author's Note: **Hey guys, sorry about the long wait for this chapter, I had a ton of stuff going on last week in school. Two projects, two essays, and four tests! Anyway, let me know what you think of the chapter, good? bad? All reviews are appreciated!

**Ch. 3 – The Captured Shadow**

When I finally came to, I was laying on my side blindfolded with my hands tied behind me. I started taking stock as soon as my head was clear enough to do so. I wasn't injured, that was good. I still had everything on me, the dagger was still up my sleeve and I could still feel the necklace in my pocket.

After I was sure I still had all of my stuff, I started assessing my surroundings as best I could. The floor was hard, cold, and rough, a cave floor I guessed. I slowly sat up and then froze when I felt the blade of a dagger pressed against my throat.

"Finally awake eh?" said someone close by. It was a man's voice, no doubt.

"Took him long enough, now let's find out who the heck he is and if we need to kill him. He's not Peter like we thought, his eyes are the wrong color." said another voice, further away, and definitely a girl's.

"Well, you heard her kid, just who the heck are you?" the guy asked.

I sat there thinking fast, these two had to be assassins, there was no other explanation that fit, and they were after Peter as well. Maybe if I could scare or impress them I might get some of my questions answered.

"I'm…" wait, this was my chance to start over. I had no desire to go home and go back to being just an average farmer. This was my chance to make a new name for myself, but what? Then an image of the dagger in the candle light crossed my mind, and I smiled at the perfect name that came to mind.

"What's that? Cat got your tongue? Come out with it kid, we haven't got all day," said the girl.

Still smiling, I said, "I'm just a Shadow passing through."

"Just a Shadow huh? Trying to impress us or something? Cause if you are, it ain't working," said the guy.

"Names are just a label," said the girl, "If you wanted to impress us, you shouldn't have let us catch you in the first place, _Shadow._" She said, mocking my name.

"Well, I wouldn't have been caught if I hadn't been about to jump in and interrogate Peter," I responded cooly. "Why don't you let me up and I'll show you what I've got."

The guy holding the dagger against my throat started laughing and said, "Looks like we got us a fighter this time, don't we Paige?"

"It would seem so Eric," Paige said, "Why don't you let him up and we'll show him just who he's messing with, The Shadow Dagger assassins clan.


	5. Chapter 4 -Recruiting the Shadow

**Author's Note: **Hey again guys. I figured since its been almost a week since I posted a chapter, I should post two today. Hope you enjoy it. Let me know what you think, all reviews are appreciated!

**Ch. 4 – Recruiting the Shadow**

I stood in the center of the cave where I was being held captive, and where I was about to fight a trained assassin. Eric was about ten feet in front of me, smiling like his birthday had come early this year. He was a little taller than me, and looked like he had more muscle too. His hair was blond and his eyes blue. He had taken off a grey robe and underneath he was wearing a white shirt and black pants.

Eric's companion, Paige, stood off to the side wearing a robe the same outfit as him, but with her robe still on. She was about a head shorter than I, and had black hair and ice blue eyes. She was watching intently as me and Eric squared off, but seemed confident that the only outcome possible for me was defeat.

Eric flashed his dagger at me, one almost identical to mine, and smiled. "Sure you want to fight me kid? Give up now and save yourself the pain, we aren't gentle in The Shadow Dagger clan."

I smiled and slipped my dagger from my sleeve and watched as Eric's eyes widened. "No, I think I'll fight. You weren't the first ones to mistake me for Peter, but I'm betting you will be the last. And if I win this, you're going to answer my questions."

Eric glared at me and took a stance, his dagger in his right hand and held near his chest pointing away from him, his other hand in front of him. I stood there calmly, dagger held at my side and feet shoulder width apart, watching him closely and waiting for him to make a move. After a few seconds he started prowling towards me, and when he covered a bit more than half the distance between us, he lunged. I waited till the last second then sidestepped his dagger as he tried to swipe at my chest, but he was fast. As soon as I stepped to the side he started pulling his dagger back, aiming to stab me in the gut. I didn't have room to side step the strike, so I vaulted over him and turned as fast as I could, swiping at him with the dagger, but he managed to back out of the way just in time.

Once again we were feet apart, and Eric was looking at me like he just realized this wasn't going to be as easy as he'd thought. Not waiting for him this time, I went on the offensive, lunging forward and slashing at his face with the dagger. Surprised by the attack, he couldn't get away fast enough and I scored a small scratch on his cheek, but without missing a beat he whipped his dagger back at me and managed to cut my arm.

Eric and I went back and forth like this for a while, attacking and dodging, both of us managing to inflict minor wounds, but neither of us gaining the advantage. After almost twenty minutes we were both panting from the fight, and Eric had a scratch above one of his eyes that was dripping blood into it. At that moment, a drop of blood landed in his eye and he stumbled over a rock, I jumped forward and swept his feet from under him and pinned him to the ground, my knee on his chest my dagger against his throat. We were both panting and sweating, but it was clear that I was the victor.

"So, the little brat had some skill to back up his talk it seems." Paige said with a small chuckle." All right, that's enough, let Eric up." I glared at her as I slowly let him up.

"I won. Now I expect you to hold up you end and give me some answers." I said as I wiped the sweat from my face.

Paige smiled, "I'll do you one better. How would you like to join The Shadow Dagger clan?"


	6. Chapter 5 - Learning on the Go

**Author's Note: Hey guys, sorry it's been so long since I posted. I just kinda lost interest for a while, but after some minor major nagging from my girlfriend to update this story, I finally started writing again. Hope you guys enjoy! All comments are appreciated, good and bad, let me know if you're enjoying it!**

It was dusk the day after my fight with Eric, and we were ready to set out for the journey back to the Shadow Dagger Clan's headquarters.

Paige's offer to let me join their assassin's clan still rings in my ears, but I only had to think for a second before I agreed to join up. When I said I'd join, they explained that the necklace was a symbol to let others know you are a member of the Shadow Dagger Clan, and that the clan was named after the unique daggers they used, then we bandaged our wounds and rested for the rest of the day.

"Alright boys, its time to move out, we're wasting moonlight." Paige said as she stood up and shouldered her pack. Eric and I nodded and stood, following her as she headed out of the cave and started following a trail down the side of the cliff the cave was in.

Once we reached the bottom of the cliff, I looked back to see what the cave looked like from the bottom, but to my surprise all I saw was the smooth wall of the cliff.

"Shadow Dagger, the masters of Illusion," said Paige noticing my surprise. "You'll learn in time if you want to survive in this clan."

So, the Shadow Dagger clan were masters of Illusion, one of the rumored Schools of Magic. I turned away from the cliff and fell in behind Eric as our trio started into the trees, following a trail that seemed to appear in front of us and disappear behind us. No doubt the result of Illusion Magic. I could see how assassins from this clan could be so successful in their line of work, being able to conceal their hideouts and their pathways so easily.

We walked in silence for a few miles before Eric broke the silence, "You're pretty quiet for one who's just been kidnapped and then invited to join an assassin's clan by your kidnappers."

"I find that I learn more when I stay silent." I replied smoothly.

"Sometimes you can't learn unless you ask questions." Paige said from the front.

"What do I need to know then?" I asked, and for the rest of the night Eric and Paige taught me about the different assassin clans.

"There are only two assassin clans that have power in the kingdom of Lieradel," said Paige, "The Shadow Dagger clan and the Chaos clan. And the Shadow Dagger clan is currently the more powerful of two."

"We are constantly at war with each other trying to weaken each other and make our own clan stronger, all so we can claim the title of the most feared clan in Lieradel." said Eric.

"Our two clans have very different styles of killing, the Shadow Dagger clan prefers stealth, instilling fear in the hearts of all because no one knows if we are about to strike them down." Paige explained, "And the Chaos clan uses complete and total destruction. No stealth involved, they storm in and obliterate their target and anyone unlucky enough to be nearby. They inspire fear through brutality and they are masters of Destruction Magic.

Complete annihilation huh? Not really my style. Too flashy, too much risk of being caught or seen. I'd prefer no one even know I was there until they saw a dead body on the floor, and I'd rather not kill anyone I don't have to if I can avoid it. The Shadow Dagger clan's way of doing things definitely sounded better to me.

"How often do the Chaos clan and ours clash?" I asked.

"Actual fighting between members of our two clans is actually quite rare, but we are constantly trying to make sure people send their assassination requests to us rather than the Chaos clan." replied Eric.

"How large are the two clans?"

"We each have several bases of operation with four or five assassins stationed at them, one at each of the major holds in the kingdom, not to mention all of the little hideouts, like the one we stayed in last night, that are spread all over the land," said Paige, "and then there are our headquarters, where we are headed, which has about fifty assassins occupying it and where our elder assassins run the clan from."

So, two networks of assassins spread throughout Lieradel like two spider webs overlapping, and at the center of them sits the elder assassins to run the operations.

"That about covers the major points of what you need to know about the two clans. Now you need to know how we get our assassination contracts. It's quite simple really. We have members that go to certain place in each hold once a week and hang around from dusk to midnight. During that time anyone wishing to set up a contract with us can talk to that member and work out the details. Once that's done, the member brings the contracts back and posts them on the board at whatever base of operation they are with and any assassin wishing to take the job can take the contract down and complete it at their leisure. Once the contract is complete, the assassin who completed it goes to the contractors house, collects the reward, and that's it. One person dead. Money in the assassin's pocket. One happy customer."

"I see." So, that's how I'll be making my living from now on. Simple enough for me. All I need is a target to kill and an address to collect coin from.

By the time that they finished explaining all of this to me, the sky was starting to brighten, and Paige said, "We'll stop and rest here for the day, and finish the journey to headquarters tomorrow."

"But th-" I started, about to say there was no room on this tiny path to set up camp, then when I looked around and a fair sized clearing appeared. More magic to hide the clearing until it was needed.

"But what?" said Paige as she sat he pack down and started to set up camp.

"Nothing." I replied as I started to help set up camp.

After we had eaten we all pulled out our sleeping bags and laid down for the night. As I drifted off to sleep, I thought about all I had learned today and what waited for me tomorrow when we reached the Shadow Dagger clan's headquarters. I barely knew anything about what I was about to walk into, but I knew I would never go back to the boring life of being just a farm boy.


End file.
